I am not sure about all of the negative reviews I saw but this safe is awesome. I actually can't find a negative thing about this safe except for use as a "combat safe" as you'll read below. It is a little complicated but if you go slow and follow the directions it works like a charm. ***HINT***** Since the safe can store 50 fingerprints, and if you are the only person or there are 2 of you with access, make multiple scans of the same finger in slightly different positions during set up. I had it next to my bed for a couple of days and realized I'd have to use a left hand finger at an angle so I held the scan button and placed my finger in at the same awkward angle I'd use if I were lying in bed and it worked 99% of the time on the first try from that weird angle. It is hard to remember the exact place to put your finger sometimes so the more scans you input the more likely it will open on the first try.
As for someone else getting in I had 2 people try everything and neither could get the safe to respond. The bolts and door are super heavy, like on a bank vault and it would take a lot to pry your way in. The "emergency key" is not a key that can be copied nor do I think anyone could pick that lock. Bolt it to a wall or the floor and it's not getting carried off easily. If someone does get in you WILL know it because they will have to do physical damage to the safe to get in... like cut the wall of the safe. I can assure you they are not cutting the bolts!
For a home gun**See note**, valuables or medications this is the most awesome safe I could have bought especially for the price. I have owned fire boxes and other lock boxes and they have all been broken into because their locks are fairly easy to defeat. This is not easy to defeat. I haven't tried the "greasy fingerprint" way of beating the fingerprint scanner but if keeping a rag near the unit and wiping the glass after you use it is all it takes then that seems like a minor issue.
I open this safe between 2 and 4 times a day and in the past month have not had to change batteries. If you use it for a gun I would suspect the batteries will last a very long time. My plan is to change out my rechargeable batteries every 60 days with a fresh set, just to be sure but the emergency key is easy. The best part of the emergency key is that the lock is hidden and it takes extra steps just to get to the lock. Anyone without knowledge of this safe will think there is no emergency key hole.
Can someone with time and heavy tools get into this safe? Yes with enough time but it won't be quiet. This isn't a safe to you can leave out in plain sight and dare someone to get into. It is at least as strong as the best hotel room safe without the fire proof walls.
**NOTE** It is possible it takes 2 or 3 times repositioning your finger to get it to read right. If you need a safe that is silent and will open 1st time guaranteed (like for a combat situation) then this isn't the safe for you. The beeps aren't that loud but in a life threatening situation where someone is coming straight to the place I hide my gun, this safe may not be the best. Then again, I don't have children. I keep my gun in the safe when I am not home and then very close to me at night...but not in the safe. I have the safe in a bathroom closet and no one outside the bathroom can hear when I open the safe so it's not really that loud. If you worry about having it open in under 3 seconds every time and without a single sound then get a safe with a mechanical lock. But if you think you will have up to 15 seconds to get to your gun and a couple of beeps quieter than an alarm clock won't destroy your tactical advantage then this safe is a great balance of security and ease of use. (maybe I'll do a video of that situation and post it) I think the motor that moves the bolts is louder than the beeps but I see that as a cool feature. It sounds like it's moving really heavy bolts. The motor moves the bolts in under a second so if your first scan works the safe is open in under 3 seconds. You get 3 tries and then have to push the scan button again and if you get it on the 3rd try the safe is open in under 10 seconds. I'd say 90% of the time I get it on the 1st or 2nd scan.
If you want a safe to keep in a closet, drawer or under a bed that only you can get into this is the safe. If you need a safe that keeps someone you trust out, as long as you don't keep the emergency key where they can find it, the this is the best safe out there. So far I have not once had a problem opening it and I keep the emergency key at my office so no one else can get in. This is the best thing I have bought in years...and the coolest. If you need a safe to keep people out of your medications, and those of you who have had that issue understand how hard keeping them out is, and how they have defeated everything else you bought, then this is 100% the best safe you can buy. (Don't forget---DO NOT have the emergency key anywhere where they can find it!!!)
I can not speak to the quality control of the company except that my safe was perfect out of the box. If other reviewers had issues, I don't doubt them. But read the reviews. If you follow the well written directions that come with the safe you will leave a great review like I am.
| Brand | BARSKA |
|---|---|
| Product Dimensions | 14.5"D x 16.5"W x 7.75"H |
| Lock Type | Biometric |
| Color | Black |
| Capacity | 0.8 Cubic Feet |
| Special Feature | Biometric Fingerprint, Anti-Theft, Temper Resistant, Backup Keys |
| Mounting Type | Floor Mount |
| Control Type | Key Control |
| Included Components | Battery Pack, Mounting Screws, Keys, Manual, 4 AA Batteries |
| Item Weight | 28 Pounds |
| Alarm | Lock |
| Water Resistance Level | Not Water Resistant |
| Item Package Dimensions L x W x H | 22.8 x 17.5 x 12.5 inches |
| Package Weight | 14.67 Kilograms |
| Item Dimensions LxWxH | 16.5 x 14.5 x 7.75 inches |
| Brand Name | BARSKA |
| Warranty Description | 1 Year |
| Model Name | Barska Biometric Fingerprint Security Home Safe Lock Box for Handgun Domument Money |
| Suggested Users | unisex-adult |
| Number of Items | 1 |
| Manufacturer | Barska |
| Part Number | AX11224 |
| Model Year | 2010 |
| Style | Front Opening Standard |
| Size | 0.29 CU FT |
| Sport Type | Hunting |
